Parliamentary questions
Jackson Carlaw
1,088 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what initiatives it is introducing in NHS (a) Greater Glasgow and Clyde and (b) Ayrshire and Arran to reduce the incidence of drug maladministration.
Answer · Alex Neil: NHS boards are responsible for the administration of drugs, including responsibility for reducing the incidence of adverse events concerning drug administration, in their board area. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are undertaking specific initiatives to impro…
17 Dec 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, following reports of a seriously ill baby having to wait 12 hours in the accident and emergency department at the Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham because no paediatric beds were available in the UK, how it will ensure that NHS Scotland has an adequate provision of paediatric beds.
Answer · Alex Neil: Paediatric Intensive Care services are nationally commissioned by NHS National Services Scotland National Services Division (NSD) on behalf of all NHS boards. NSD monitors service provision to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to manage periods of surg…
17 Dec 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will respond to the Healthcare Improvement Scotland report, Attention Deficit and Hyperkinetic Disorders Services Over Scotland: Final Report.
Answer · Alex Neil: We welcome this report and are pleased to see that Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) acknowledge the commitment we have made through the Mental Health Strategy (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/08/9714), to “undertake work to develop appropria…
12 Dec 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08947 by Alex Neil on 13 September 2012, when the consultation document setting out its overall approach to the implementation of EU Directive 2011/24 on the Application of Patients’ Rights in Cross-border Healthcare will be issued.
Answer · Alex Neil: My officials are working closely with the UK Government’s Department of Health and the other devolved administrations so that, where it can be achieved, a consistent approach is taken in transposing the European Cross-border Healthcare Directive into domestic…
12 Dec 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, following the comments by the Deputy First Minister in the news release of 11 May 2012, NHS Lothian Report, what action it has taken in relation to staff allegations of bullying and harassment by the Executive Team of the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Answer · Alex Neil: As I have previously stated I want a zero tolerance approach to bullying and harassment in NHSScotland. I expect all allegations of bullying and harassment to be fully investigated in line with the Preventing and Dealing with Bullying and Harassment PIN Polic…
5 Dec 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Deputy First Minister has visited (a) Switzerland, (b) Norway, (c) Sweden or (d) Denmark since 2007.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: No. The Scottish Government proactively publishes information on overseas visits carried out by Scottish Government Ministers on the Scottish Government website which is updated on a regular basis and I attach a link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/People…
5 Dec 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any (a) minister or (b) official has visited (i) Switzerland, (ii) Norway, (iii) Sweden or (iv) Denmark since 2007.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Yes. The number of journeys made by ministers to these countries is included in the information which is proactively published in each year since 2007 on the Scottish Government website which is updated on a regular basis and I attach a link: http://www.sco…
29 Nov 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that Schedule 8 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 should be amended to include local authorities.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not propose to amend the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 in this way.
25 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-09926 by John Swinney on 25 October 2012, for which provisions of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 does it compile information on the compliance of public bodies.
Answer · John Swinney: Most of the provisions of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 relate to the exercise of functions of a particular body. Some of the provisions of the Act apply to more than one body. These include the requirements to provide information on certain …
27 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-09343 by John Swinney on 12 September 2012, what the conclusions are of the ongoing performance management arrangements that it undertakes in relation to the public bodies that it sponsors or supports with regard to their compliance with the Public …
Answer · John Swinney: This government has a sustained focus on improving the quality of public services and continuous improvement in the performance of our public bodies. There are a wide range of provisions in the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 which apply to both i…
5 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards experienced a shortfall between the number of junior doctors required and recruited in each year since 2007 and what the size of the shortfall was.
Answer · Alex Neil: This information is not held centrally.
5 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many beds for children and adolescents there have been in (a) child and adolescent and (b) adult psychiatric wards in each year since 2007.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The number of specialist child and adolescent beds over the period 2007-11 is: Year Child Adolescent 2007 9 36 2008 10 36 2009 9 36 2010 9 45 2011 9 44 There are no beds allocated for children or adolescents in adult psychiatric wards. How…
5 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many emergency arrivals have been not admitted, discharged or transferred for at least (a) 18 and (b) 24 hours in each (i) NHS board and (ii) accident and emergency unit in each year since 2007.
Answer · Alex Neil: Information on the number of attendances (new and unplanned returns) that were not admitted/transferred/discharged for at least 18 and 24 hours by NHS Board and by accident and emergency site has been placed in the Scottish Parliamentary Information Centre (B…
5 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the maximum waiting time has been for NHS residential drug rehabilitation in each year since 2006-07.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Before 2007-08, information was not collected on the full length of time a person waited from their referral to starting drug treatment. Prior to the introduction of a new Drug and Alcohol Treatment Waiting Times Database in April 2011 by the Scottish Govern…
5 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much the NHS has spent on residential drug rehabilitation in each year since 2006-07.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Prior to 2007 information on the number of drug rehabilitation places was not collected. We are now gathering information in the Scottish Drug and Alcohol Treatment Waiting Times Database, introduced in April 2011. This reports on the number of people enterin…
5 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many residential drug rehabilitation places have been available in each year since 2006-07.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government provides funding to the Scottish Drugs Forum to maintain the Scottish Drugs Services Directory, available online. It lists all Community based and Residential/In patient services across Scotland. http://www.scottishdrugservices.com/s…
5 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many junior doctors have been taken on in each NHS board in each year since 2007.
Answer · Alex Neil: Scottish Medical trainees are recruited to a variety of training programmes including Foundation and GP training, entry to which is organised on a UK basis, and to specialty training which is organised in Scotland through NHS Education for Scotland (NES). Tr…
5 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the national abdominal aortic aneurysm screening programme for men over 65 is scheduled to begin and whether all NHS boards will take part.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening programme commenced a planned roll-out in July 2012. It is expected that all NHS boards will offer AAA screening by December 2013. Further information on the programme and roll-out is available at: http…
5 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what alternative medications have been made available during the shortage of Sanofi-Pasteur’s intravesical BCG and how many people previously treated with intravesical BCG have been treated with these alternatives.
Answer · Alex Neil: In the UK, an alternative licensed product, OncoTICE, manufactured by MSD, is available and the Department of Health has advised that some companies also imported unlicensed BCG from abroad during the shortage. It is not known how many people previously trea…
5 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what stockpiles of Sanofi-Pasteur intravesical BCG were available prior to the current shortage.
Answer · Alex Neil: This information is not held centrally. In the UK, there is an alternative licensed product, OncoTICE, manufactured by MSD. Limited supplies of OncoTICE are now available directly from the manufacturer.
5 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people were treated with Sanofi-Pasteur intravesical BCG in 2011-12.
Answer · Alex Neil: This information is not held centrally. In the UK, there is an alternative licensed product, OncoTICE, manufactured by MSD. Limited supplies of OncoTICE are now available directly from the manufacturer.
5 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the shortage of the Sanofi-Pasteur BCG treatment for bladder cancer.
Answer · Alex Neil: The manufacture of Immucyst has been stopped by the manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur, and I understand that it is unlikely to resume before late 2013. This product is manufactured in Canada and this is a global problem. The UK-wide medicines regulatory authority…
31 Aug 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the rate of compliance of non-departmental public bodies and other quangos with the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010.
Answer · John Swinney: Public bodies listed in the act have a duty to comply fully with responsibilities set out for them in the act. It is, first and foremost, the responsibility of these listed public bodies to demonstrate publicly how they have complied with the various sections…
31 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the list of proscribed procedures under the EU patients’ rights directive will be submitted to the European Commission for approval.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-08947 on 13 September 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentar…
31 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the costs of specialist teleassessments across EU borders will be covered under the EU patients’ rights directive.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-08947 on 13 September 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentar…
31 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what authorisation is required for patients to access non-hospital healthcare under the EU patients’ rights directive.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-08947 on 13 September 2012. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentar…
31 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm that patients in Scotland will be entitled to obtain treatment in private healthcare facilities under the EU patients' rights directive.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-08947 on 13 September 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentar…
31 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when points of contact will be in place to inform patients how to access treatment in other European countries, as outlined in the EU patients' rights directive.
Answer · Alex Neil: A consultation document setting out the Scottish Government’s overall approach to implementation of EU Directive 2011/24 on the Application of Patients’ Rights in Cross-border Healthcare will issue in October. It will seek views on the detail of implementatio…
28 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has instructed or contracted a third party to conduct research by telephone to establish the number of people in households who smoke tobacco.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government contracted TNS to carry out an evaluation of the field marketing activity in support of its wider 2012 smoking cessation campaign. This research was conducted amongst visitors to bespoke smoking cessation stands in 34 locations across …
14 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with the Nursing and Midwifery Council about phasing in the recently proposed rise in registration fees.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-07966 on 26 June 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybu…